Asymmetrical discriminator



jane. lm, 11950 W, M FQRSTER 2,494,75

ASYMMETRICAL DISCRIMINATR Filed March lo, 1947 Patented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ASYMMETRICAL DISCRIMINATOR William H. Forster, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of `Pennsylvania Application March 10, 1947, Serial No. 733,498 i (Cl. Z50-27) 6 Claims.

,matic-frequency-control `(AFC) voltage which is utilized in known `:mannerto maintain the frequency-modulated I-F -or other` FM carrierwaccurately positioned within a preassigned frequency band.

To accomplish the dual `purposes mentioned above, the circuit of the presentinvention is so constructed, and theparameters aresochosen, that the frequency-response `characteristic thereof is steeply slopedandsubstantially linear over the `desired 'wide band `of frequencies. Inraddition, the circuit is so constructed and so tuned that the frequency-response characteristic is asymmetrical, with the zero-crossover occurring close to oneend of therlinear portion; of the characteristic at a frequency which corresponds substantially to one edgeof :the operating passband.

With` the frequency-response characteristic thus oriented with-respect tothe crossover line, only a small end-portion of the linear portion of the characteristic is `used for AFCpurposes, and the larger part of thetlinear portion `ofthe characteristic is available for detection purposes. The gain of the discriminator, realizable over a wide band of frequencies, is therefore substantially larger than-would'be realizedif the crossover occurred ator near `the mid-point of Athe linear slope. In the latter case, `if the crossover region be utilized for AFC purposes,` yas ordinarily would be necessary, only about one-half of pass-band of the discriminatorfwould be usable `for detection, andthe discriminator would haveto be so constructed as to have -a pass-band twice vas `wide as actually required for detection. And as is known by thoseskilled` in theart, the `wider the pass-band of thediscriminator, the less'steep the slope of `the frequency-response characteristic, and the smaller thegain.

It is an objectrof `this invention to provide a.

l high-frequency wide-band frequericy-discrimi- Inductance elements shunt elements in a secondary tuned circuit `Il;

2 nator` circuit havingan `asymmetrical frequencyresponse characteristic. t

It is another object of this invention to `provide a frequency discriminator whose frequencyresponse characteristic includes a steeply-sloped linear portion extending over a relatively wide band of frequencies, with the linear portion having a crossover cioseto onelend thereof ata frequency corresponding .substantially to one edge of the operating pass-band.

It is a specic object of this invention to provide, for use in `Fll/lftelevision circuits, a highgain frequency-discriminator circuit which will perform the dual function of detection and of providing an AFG voltage.

These and other objects, advantages .and features of the invention will: become .clear from the following detailed description and from the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a schematic representation of a preferred form of 4frequencydiscriminator embodying the invention'and adapted Vfor use in the preferred manner, i. e. -adaptedfor use in :a television system asa videov detector and as a source Figure 2 is a graphicalk representation of the frequency-response characteristics of the circuit shown in Figure 1 when said `circuit is operated in `a preferred manner.

Referring now to'` Figure 1, there is shown `a block l representing a source of frequency-modulated carrier wave `whose `frequency variations are represented, inthe drawing, `by a graph V in which instantaneous `carrier frequency f is plotted against time t. In the description which follows it will be assumed that graphV lis 4representative oi the video-frequency intelligence carried by a frequency-modulated televisioncarrier wave supplied by source Il) `and-applied to the `control grid of a drivertube H. Capacitanceli represents the inherent distributed capacitance of the plate circuit of driver tube H. Inductances i3 and i4, connected `as shown, serve as coupling elements for susceptively coupling theoutput` of tube `I l to theinputelectrodes of twin-diode 2D.

Inductances i3 and i4 also` constitute the inductance elements of ,a primary tuned circuit I5 comprised of capacitance .I2 in shunt with the said linductances., Observe that the primary tuned circuit l5 includes no inductance element (other than the elements I3-I 4) which resonates with capacitance I2 at the operating frequencies. ,l 3-l14 also function as comprised of inductance l1 (shuntedl'hy inductpacitor 25 comprise the RC network which, to

gether with the lower diode, function as the video detector unit of the lower portion of the discriminator. The reactancesof capacitors 24 and 25 at the operating carrier frequency are ordinarily Very small, and the cathodes of both di-v odes may be deemed to be at ground potential with respect to the carrier frequency. The.-

value of each of the resistors 22 and 23 is determined by the RC time constant required in order Y'for the network to accomplish video detection.

r Resistor 2|, connected in shunt across primary circuit I5, is a damping resistor whose size desistors constitute a load on the secondary tank .circuit, approximately one-half of the combined `value of resistors 22 and 23 being reected across 30 Athe diodes into the secondary circuit.

4 Radio-frequency choke 26 isolates the source of positive plate potential, B+, from the carrier- Afrequency currents; and blocking capacitor 21 tor.

ltermines the Q of the primary tank circuit I5. 'The Q of secondary tankv circuit I6 is largely determined by resistors 22 and 23; these reisolates the anodes of twin-diode 2G from the Lpositive plate voltage, B+. Radio-frequency choke 28 provides a D..C. path for the currents V'which flow through the diodes of tube 20. It should be mentioned here that, in many cases,

geously for the twin-diode tube 2D.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown the preferred frequency-response chaarcteristic C of the discriminator circuit of Figure 1; and shown in dotted lines are the frequency-response charf acteristics U and L of the upper and lower portions of the discriminator circuit which together produce the resultant characteristic C. In other nwords, characteristic C is indicative of the detected video voltage appearing between the cathode of the upper diode and ground, i. e. across series-combined resistors 22 and 23. Characteristic U is indicative of the unidirectional video voltage appearing across resistor 22 alone, while :characteristic L is indicative of the unidirectional voltage across resistor 23 alone.`

To facilitate description of the present invention, it will be assumed that the circuit of Figure j 1 is employed in a frequency-modulation televi- 'sion system whose carrier occupies a frequency band extending'from 107 to 119 mc. inclusive.

jjIn Figure 2, lthe preasssigned white-level frequency of the picture-intelligence component is shown to be 119 rnc. and is represented by the dot-and-dash line fw. The preassigned blacklevel, or blanking-level, frequency of the picture intelligence component is 111 mc. and is repre- `sented by the dotted line fb; the preassigned synchronizing-level frequency of the synchroniz- The modulated picture-intelligence mc., but the peaks of the time-spaced synchrocrystal diodes, for example of the type 1N34..Y germanium diode, may be substituted advanta- 4 nizing pulses are leveled, or intended to be leveled, accurately at 107 mc.

I will now describe the manner of determining, to a first order of approximation, the values required of the pertinent circuit parameters in order that the circuit of Figure 1 may have the frequency-response characteristic shown in Figure 2 for the pass-band indicated. As will be understood, the values of distributed capacitances I2, I8 and I9 are xed by the physical properties of the circuit, particularly by the type 0f tubes employed. The values of resistances 22 and 23 are fixed by time-constant considerations as previously indicated; these resistors are ordinarily of relatively low value, and secondary circuit I5 accordingly has a low Q fac- A low VQ factor is desirable for this secondary circuit, but in some cases it may be desirable to raise the Q slightly, as by increasing the value of shunt capacitances Iii-I9. The value of resistor 2 I is preferably high in order that the Q factor of primary circuit I5 may be substantially higher than that of the secondary circuit I5.

Several conditions mustbe met with respect to the values required for inductances I3, I4 and I'I. The rst condition, for reasons that will become clear, is that the value of inductance I3 must'be appreciably different from that of inductance It; for example, inductance I3 may be from 1.5 to 2 times as'large as inductance I4. The second condition is that Ainductances I3 and I4 (considered as being lparallel-combined and grounded at the input electrodes of tube 2U) should resonate with "capacitance I2 at about llmc., i. e. at" a frequency about midway between the upper-frequency peaks of characteristics U and L respectively. The third condition is that the combination, comprising series-connected inductances 'I3-I4 in shunt with induc- -tance I'I and with series-'connected capacitances I 8-I9, should resonatev at a frequency of about v rnc., i. e. 'at a frequency about midway ben tween the two peaks of characteristic L. If these conditions are met, the values of inductances I3, I4 and II will be established to a rst order of approximation.

With the circuit connected as shown in Figure 1, and with the circuit elements having values of the order of magnitude indicated above, a sweep frequency may be applied to the discrimi- -nator circuit, and variable inductances I3, I4 and I'I may then be so adjusted that the frequency responses of the voltages appearing across resistors 22 and 23 individually, and across the series combination thereof, are substantially as desired. In the present illustration, the desired frequency responses are depicted in Figure 2 by characteristics U, L and C, respectively.

It will be seen from the general nature of frequencyfresponse-curves U and L that the action of the circuit of Figure 1 simulates a pair of double-tuned circuits arranged in parallel relation, and if desired the circuit may be considered to be the equivalent thereof. That is to say, the action, of primary tuned circuitA I5 simulatesa pair of fictitious tuned circuits in parallel, i. e. an upper and a lower tuned circuit; and the action of secondary tuned circuit I6 likewise simulates a pair of tuned circuits. Thus, the fictitious upper .circuit of primary circuit I5 and the ficti tious upper circuit of secondary circuit I6 comprise an imaginary double-tuned upper circuit; land.. the fictitious lower circuits of primary and secondary circuits I5 and I6 comprise an imagasomar ``lnary double-tuned lower circuit. Whileweach. of

`the two imaginary double-tuned circuits 4.is `eilfected `by the other, `and :is not independent thereof, the curves U and L of Figure` 2 may be `considered to be generally .indicative of the .free fluency-response characteristics of said .imagiinary upper and lower double-tuned circuits, respectively.

Characteristic L of the imaginary lower doubletuned circuit is seen to `be a doubleapeakedourve, the upper-frequency peak of which is of consider- :ably greater amplitude than the lower, the upperfrequency peak occurring at 119 mc. and the mwen-frequency peak occurring at `B5 mc. A

characteristic having this Vgeneral shape .is to be expected from the fact that the fictitious lower primary and lower secondary circuits have sub- Istantially different Q factors, are tuned to lsub-- stantially `different frequencies, and are relatively closely coupled.

Frequency-response `characteristic U `of the upper double-tuned circuit is seen to be a double- `peaked curve, the peaks of which are `of substantially equal amplitude and noticeably closer together than the peaks Vof. characteristic L. The Vproximity of the peaks of characteristic U indicates that the imaginary upper double-tuned ciricuit is more loosely coupled than the imaginary lower double-tuned circuit, as is the case,1since 'inductance I3 is 1.5 to 2 times` as large in value as inductance III. In view of the fact that the Q factors of the imaginary upper primary and upper secondary circuits .are quite dissimilar, the

`symmetry of characteristic U is explainable as follows: when the relative values of inductances I3, It and I7 are finally `established at the time -of the nal adjustment thereof and frequencyresponse characteristics having the `shapes shown in Figure 2 are produced, the fictitious upper 'primary and upper secondary circuits are believed to be tuned, in eifect, to substantially the same frequency.

In the present illustration, inductances I3, I4

and I'I are so adjusted, land Vthe value of resistor 2l is so selected, that characteristic C has a linear portion extending over the frequency band 10T-119 mc. (which is the frequency band of the video-intelligence component of the incoming wave from source I0) with a crossover frelquency je at 107.4 me. (which is Vbut very slightly i higher than 107 mc., the preassigned synchron nizing-level frequency).

The manner in which detection of the frequency-modulated I-F video-intelligence signals of the wave from source IIJ is accomplished along the linear portion of the frequency-response characteristic C will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and need not be described here. The video signals delivered by the discriminator may be applied, as by way of conductor 29, to a Vvideo `signal utilization means `3l) which may,

for example, comprise the video circuits of fa television receiver, or the monitoring ,circuits 0f a television transmitter or relay station.

The manner in which automatic frequency conf;

trol may be achieved -is similar to that described in detail in a joint copending;` application of Wilson P. Boothroyd and mine, filed 'September 19, 1946, Serial No. 698,056; andthe discriminator `oopending ,applicatlon.` :system is- :from .1()5` to 125,1nc.

blocking capacitorlZ'I is of the order of 250 auf.,

inductance I3 has an adjusted value of 0.8 Mh., .inductance I4 has AanA adjusted value of 0.5 ah., inductance `Il has-1an adjusted value of 1.1 uh.,

interelectrode capacitances I8, I9 `are of `the order of (ii/nih. each, resistors 22,23 are 1,000 :ohms each, andxcapacitors 24, 25 Vare l0 cui. each. The frequency-response lcharacteristic of the voltages appearing `.across resistor 22 was substantially/.similar to characteristic U of Figure 2; and the frequencyresponse `characteristic of the voltages-appearing across resistor 23 was substantially similar to characteristic L.

The procedure employed vinaligning the particular discriminator `described in the above paragraph is `very simple. A continuous wave of the crossover frequency (approximately 1107.4 mc.) is `applied to the discriminator, and secondary in- .ductance` I1 is tuned for Zero discriminator output, as read on a D.`C. `voltmetericonnected across series-combined resistors 22--23. Then a continuous wave of thefiequency `of the `upper'afrequency peak (llamo.)` is applied, and inductance I4 is tuned for maximum discriminator output, again as read on a D.C. voltmeter across resistors 22-23. `A continuous wave of crossover frequency (107.4 mc.) is again `applied and, if the discriminator `output is other than zero, as it may be by a small amount, inductance I 'I is adjusted until zero output is obtained. A conu tinuous wave of the :uppenfrequency peak (119 rnc.) is then ,again applied and inductance I4 4may a-gainube'adjusted for maximum discrimina-tor output; The :adjustment required. should, however, be slight. `If a wave of crossover fre iquency `(107.4, mc.) be .again applied, the disfcriminator outputwill, in `most instances, be zero, `If `it isnt, inductanceA `I 'I' maybe further adjusted. Usually, however, this will not be necessary. Stated briefly, inductances II and I4 are adjusted until Zero andrmaximum discriminator output are .obtained at 107.4 nic. and 119 mc., respectively.

Qrdinarily, notfmore than two adjustments of `.each finductance will. be requiredV to achieve this condition. It is to be observed that the adjust- "be in the'region of negative Apolarity and the llargerportion of the linear-slope will be `in the `region-of positive polarity. This may be readily accomplished, eitherbyreversing the individual "rectifier elements or bycoupling `the upper "double-tuned' circuit" `more closely than the lower, i. e., reversing the positions of coupling inductances I3 and I4 of Figure 1 to place the smaller of the two inductances in the upper circuit.

If desired, a frequency-response characteristic having a crossover at the upper-frequency in- Vof say 135 rnc.

arcane 1 71y steadof at the lower, i. e.having alinear portion which increases 'in' voltage as the frequency vde'- creases rather than as the frequency increases as in `Figure 2, may be obtained by moving the upper-frequency peak of characteristic U to' the right to the extent necessary to makeisubstantially linear that portion'of characteristic C which in Figure 1 is to the right of the upper-frequency peak, with a crossover occurring at a frequency The upper-frequency peak of characteristic U may be moved to the right, to the extent required, by inserting capacitance in series with the coupling inductance of the more loose- '33 when a characteristic having a linear portion similar to that of curve C is desired.

From the detailed description given above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that by suitable selection of circuit constants, various widths of pass-band at various center frequencies may be had. Moreover, various modiiications, not involving invention, will occur to those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A band-pass frequency-discriminator circuit comprising: a source of frequency-modulated carrier wave; first and second rectifying detectors, each having at least input and output electrodes; means providing capacitance in shunt f with said source; a first inductance coupling said source to an input electrode of said frst'detectcr; a second inductance coupling said source to an input electrode of said second detector, said second inductance having a value substantially higher than that of said first inductance and such that the parallel combination of said rst and second inductance resonates with said source shunt capacitance at a frequency corresponding substantially to the mid-frequency of said passband; means providing capacitance between said input and output electrodes of each of said detectors; a third inductance coupled between the input electrodes of said detectors, said third inductance being of such value that, in shunt with said first and second inductance series connected. said combination of inductances resonates with said last mentioned capacitances at a frequency corresponding substantially to a frequency limit of said pass-band; and means for combining the;v

rectified voltages differentially.

2. In a communication system having a source v-of frequency-modulated carrier voltage, a frequency-discriminator circuit having lan asymlmetrical D.C. voltage versus frequency charac-5v teristic which is substantially linear over the opferating pass-band with a point of zero D. C. .fvoltage occurring on the .linear portionA closeto one extremity thereof, said discriminator circuit r comprising-z a pair of rectfying detectors hav- -ing input and output electrodes; means providing capacitance in shunt with said source of carrier voltage; a rst inductance coupled between said source and the input electrode of one of said detectors; a second inductance and a second capacitance series coupled between said source and the input electrode of the other of said detectors; means providing capacitance between said input and output electrodes of each of said detectors; a third inductance coupled between `the input electrodes of said detectors; and means for combining the rectified voltages differentially.

3. A frequency-discriminator circuit as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that said second inductance and second capacitance are series resonant at a frequency higher than the zero D.C. voltage frequency and such that said zero D.C. voltage occurs at the desired frequency.

4. A band-pass frequency-discriminator circuit comprising: a source of frequency-modulated carrier wave, said source having inherent distributed shunt capacitance; rst and second rectifying detectors" each having input and output electrodes and inherent interelectrode capacitance; a rst inductance coupling said source to an input electrode of said rst detector; a second inductance coupling said source to an input electrode of said second detector, said second inductance having a value substantially higher than that of said rst inductance and such that the parallel combination of said first and second inductances resonates with said inherent distributed shunt capacitance of said source at a frequency corresponding substantially to the midfrequency of said pass-band; a third inductance coupled between the input electrodes of said detectors, said third inductance being of such value that, in shunt with said first and second inductances series connected, said combination of l'inductances resonates with said inherent interelectrode capacitances of said detectors at a frequency corresponding substantially to a frequency limit of said pass-band; and means for combining the rectified voltages differentially.

5. A band-pass frequency-discriminator circuit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the frequency limit of said pass-band, at which said combination of first, second and third inductances resonates with said interelectrode capacitances, is the lower frequency limit.

6. A band-pass frequency-discriminator circuit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the frequency limit of said pass-band, at which `,said combination of first, second and third inductances resonates with said last-mentioned capacitances, is the lower frequency limit.

WILLIAM H. FORSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the :le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,907 Kirkwood Sept. 26, 1939 2,265,826 Wheeler Dec. 9, 1941 .Y 2,312,070 1 Bliss Feb. 23, 1943 2,422,513 Yeandle June 1'7, 1947 

